Changes of Monophasic Action Potential Duration and Effective Refractory Period of Three Layers Myocardium of Canine during Acute Ischemia in Vivo

Summary： The effect of acute ischemia on the electrophysiological characteristics of the three layers myocardium of canine in vivo was investigated. Twelve canines were divided into two groups randomly： acute ischemia （AI） group and sham operation （SO） group. By using the monophasic action potential （MAP） technique, MAP and effective refractory period （ERP） of the three layers myocardium were measured by specially designed plunge needle electrodes and the transmural dispersion of repolarization （TDR） and transmural dispersion of ERP （TDE） were analyzed. The results showed that in the AI group, MAP duration （MAPD） was shortened from 201.67±21.42 ms to 169.50±13.81 ms （P〈0.05）, but ERP prolonged to varying degrees and TDE increased during ischemia. In the SO group, MAPD and ERP did not change almost. Among of the three layers myocardium of canine, MAPD was coincident in two groups. It was concluded that during acute ischemia, MAPD was shortened sharply, but there was no significant difference among of the three layers myocardium. The prolonged ERP was concomitant with increased TDE during acute ischemia, which may play an important role in the occurrence of arrhythmias induced by acute ischemia. These findings may have important implications in arrhythmogenesis.

Effects of Amiodarone on Transmural Dispersion of Ventricular Effective Refractory Periods across Myocardial Layers in the Normal and Hypertrophic Canine Heart

The effects of amiodarone on transmural dispersion of ventricular effective refractory periods （ERPs） in the normal and hypertrophic canine heart were investigated in vivo. By using the programmed stimulation protocol, the ERPs of epicardium （Epi）, midmyocardium （Mid） and endocardium （Endo） were measured by inserting specially-designed electrodes into the three myocardial layers before and after mainlining of amiodarone. No significant ERPs-dispersion was observed in the three layers before and after mainlining of amiodarone in the normal group. In contrast, ERPs of all the three layers were prolonged in the hypertrophic heart, while the ERPs-dispersion was reduced significantly after mainlining of amiodarone. The ERPs-dispersion was significantly increased in the hypertrophic heart but not in the normal heart using ＂long-short＂ and ＂short-long＂ interval stimulation technique. It was concluded that （1） the differences in ERPs-dispersion among the three layers were significant in hypertrophic heart, and differences were not significant in normal canine heart; （2） ERPs of each three-myocardial layers were significantly prolonged after using amioda- rone, but the ERPs-dispersion decreased in hypertrophic heart and （3） the programmed extrastimulus technique of ＂long-short＂ and ＂short-long＂ intervals increased the transmural ERPs-dispersion in the hypertrophic heart.

Effect of β_3-adrenoceptors on Ventricle Fibrillation Threshold and Effective Refractory Period in Rats With Heart Failure

Objectives To observe the effect of β3-Adrenoceptor （AR） on ventricle fibrillation threshold （VFT） and effective refractory period （ERP） in rats with heart failure. Methods Rats were randomized into control group and heart failure group. The expression of β3-ARmRNA was detected with RTPCR; The VFT, ERP, LVESP,LVEDP, ＋dp/dtmax and -dp/dtmax was measured at the same time with administration of BRL37344 （ 2 nmol / kg, β3- AR agonist）. Results ①Both the expression of β3-AR mRNA and the proportion increased in rats with heart failure in comparison with control rats （0.028 vs. 0.011 and 5.4% vs 1.2%, P 〈 0.05）;② ERP was longer in rats with heart failure than control group （70.5±5.5 ms vs 59.5±6.4ms, P 〈 0.05） and there was no difference of ERP in rats with heart failure with administration of BRL37344 （73.0±4.8 ms vs 70.5± 5.5 ms, P 〉0.05）; ③VFT was lower in rats with heart failure than control group（10.9±0.8 mv vs 30.5± 1.3 mv, P〈 0.05） and decreased obviously in rats with heart failure with administration of BRL37344 （7.1±0.6 mv vs 10.9±0.8 mv, P 〈 0.05） ; The decrease of VFT correlated with the effect on LVESP, ＋dp/ dtmax,-dp/dtmax of BRL37344 and the expression of β3-AR mRNA （correlation coefficient： 0.788, 0.708, 0.759, 0.787; P 〈 0.05）. Conclusions The expression of β3-AR mRNA of left ventricle was obviously increased in rats with heart failure, and activation of β3-AR had no effect on ERP but could decreased VFT which correlated with the effect of β3-AR on LVESP, ＋dp/dtmax, -dp/dtmax and the expression of β3-AR mRNA.

A Reevaluation of the Critical Membrane Potential of the Effective Refractory Period in Guinea Pig Ventricular Fibres

The traditional critical membrane potential (CMP), -55—-60mV, which corresponds to effective refractory period (ERP), was anew investigated in guinea pig ventricular muscle fibres. The electrical and contractile responses to the stimulus during repolarization of action potential (AP), particularly from+10 to -60 mV, were observed. One third of 35 tested cells displayed testing action potential (TAP) and local response at≥-54 mV when they were stimulated by testing pulses in 37℃ normal Tyrode's solution. Potential level of TAP which occurred earliest was at -30 mV and that of local response which appeared earliest was at 0 mV during repolarization among 95 systematic tests. Most of the TAPs belonged to the slow response potential type. The ratio of TAP evoked at ≥-54 mV initial membrane potential (IMP) was as high as 86% when the experiment was carried out in 37℃ 1.5 mmol KC1/L Tyrode's solution. In view of distribution of IMPs of TAPs, the CMP of ERP in guinea pig ventricular muscle fibres was more positive than traditional CMP measured by Hoffman et al. in dog, sheep Purkinje fibres and had a quite changeable range. The CMP of every cell in ventricular muscle was not all the same, and their CMPs approximated to normal distribution. There was no sharp line separating ERP from relative refractory period in myocardium. Higher temperature and low [K]_0 were the important factors elevating CMP of ERP.

Effects of Amiodarone plus Losartan on Electrical Remodeling in Rapid Atrial Pacing in Rabbits

Objectives To investigate the electrical remodeling and the effects of amiodarone and losartan on electrical remodeling in rapid atrial pacing on rabbit model. Methods 40 normal rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups ： the saline group （control group）, amiodarone group, losartan group, anti ＋ los group. All rabbits were raised drugs in a week. The atrial effective refractory period （AERP） was measured. Then, take a rapid atrial pacing （600 bpm） and the AERP was measured after 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours pacing and 30 minutes after the termination of rapid pacing. Results （1） In control group, after 8 hours rapid pacing, AERP200 and AERP150 were significantly shortened 16. 11% ± 3.1% （ P 〈 0. 01 ） and 9. 99 % ± 4. 2% （ P 〈 0. 01 ）. And the degree of AERP shortening induced by rapid pacing was greater at basic cycle lengths of 200 ms （BCL200） than that at BCL150. The AERP of amiodarone, losartan group and ami ＋ los group were not shortened during rapid pacing. （2） In the control group, after the termination of rapid pacing, the AERP gradually increased. The AERP at all of the BCLS examined recovered to almost the 95.78% and 96. 76% of baseline values within the first 10 minutes and recovered to almost the 99.07% and 99.39% of baseline values within the first 30 minutes. Conclusions Short-term atrial rapid pacing can induce the atrial electrical remodeling. Amiodarone and losartan can prevent the electrical remodeling.